Organizing and Outlining Your Speech Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning
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Organizing 8 and Outlining Your Speech Read it • The Parts of a Speech 146 • Putting Your Ideas Together: • Organizing the Body of Your Speech 146 The Complete-Sentence Outline 160 • Connecting Your Ideas with Transitions 158 • Sample Complete-Sentence Outline for Review and Analysis 165 Watch it • Reviewing Patterns of Organization 157 Linking Effectively: Transitions 161 • ge Learning ge gag ng Cengage Learning Cengage Cen Cen Use it • Everything in Its Place 157 Polite to Point 161 • Cengage Learning Review it • Directory of Study and Review Resources 168 Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Ch008.indd 144 07/10/10 6:53 PM hen you organize a speech well, audience members follow Wyour ideas more easily and better understand what you have to say. In addition, good organization helps you stay on track, keeping your purpose and thesis in mind. With a thoughtful plan for the order in which you want to present your points, you’ll feel more confi dent. Organizing your speech is like planning a trip: Reaching your destination is much less stressful when you know how to get there. In addition, when your speech is well organized, audience members don’t need to worry about where you are in your speech, where you’ve been, or where you’re going. Carefully organizing your speech increases the chances that you’ll achieve your specifi c purpose and that your audience will respond as you’d planned. Andersen Ross /Getty images 145 Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Ch008.indd 145 07/10/10 6:53 PM Figure 8.1 The parts of a speech Introduction Body Conclusion get audience’s transition from first main point transition from body review main points attention introduction to body and last main point and first main point subpoint to conclusion reinforce purpose indicate purpose subpoint and thesis provide closure transition to second establish credibility main point preview main points second main point subpoint subpoint transition to third main point third main point subpoint subpoint The Parts of a Speech Every speech has four main parts: introduction, body, transitions, and conclusion (Figure 8.1). In the fi rst part of the speech, the introduction, the speaker must get the audience’s attention, indicate the purpose and thesis, establish credibility, and preview the speech’s main points. Th e body of a speech includes all the speaker’s main points and subordinate points. Speakers use transitions, words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to move from the introduction to the body, from one point to the next, and from the body to the conclusion. Th e conclusion ends the speech, with the speaker reviewing the main points, restating the thesis, and providing closure. When you present a speech, you proceed from the introduction through the body to the conclusion. But when you put together a speech you typically develop the body and transitions fi rst, the introduction second, and the conclusion last. Figure 8.1 shows the logic underlying this seemingly illogical order. You need to know what you’re going to say in the body before you develop the introduction and the conclusion. You may fi nd, however, that as you work on the body of your speech you’ll think of something you want to say in the introduction or get an idea for a great way to end your speech. Organizing your speech, like speechmaking in general, doesn’t always follow a linear path. Th is chapter focuses on developing the body of your speech and connecting your points together, as those are the starting points for most speakers. Chapter 9 discusses how to begin and end your speech. Organizing the Body of Your Speech Th e body is where the action of your speech takes place—where you inform, persuade, The middle and main part of a speech; or entertain your audience. Th is section identifi es and describes the main elements of includes main and subordinate points. this part of your speech (Figure 8.2). Developing Your Main Points Your working outline provides a useful guide for developing your main points (Chapter 4). Th e working outline includes your topic, general purpose, specifi c purpose, thesis, and keywords for the main ideas and subpoints. As you review your working outline, applying the principles of clarity, relevance, and balance will help you identify what points to include and what points to leave out of your speech. 146 PART 2 DEVELOPING AND RESEARCHING YOUR SPEECH Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Ch008.indd 146 07/10/10 6:54 PM Clarity Your main points should identify for your audience what your speech Figure 8.2 Elements of the body is about and the response you seek. Th ey must also clearly support your specifi c purpose and be consistent with your thesis. In the following example, notice how the main points elaborate on the ideas expressed in the thesis, providing clarity on Body the topic of happiness. Th ey also support the specifi c purpose, allowing the speaker to reach the goal of informing the audience. first main point Topic: A Scientifi c Approach to Happiness General purpose: To inform subpoint sub-subpoint Specifi c purpose: To inform my audience about the science of happiness. sub-subpoint subpoint Th esis: According to scientists, people achieve happiness sub-subpoint through involvement with daily activities and other sub-subpoint people, contributing in meaningful ways to larger goals, and fi nding pleasure in everyday life. transition to second main point Main points: I. The first component of happiness is being engaged in activities and interacting with others. second main point II. The second component of happiness is feeling like what you do contributes in meaningful ways to some larger goal or objective. subpoint sub-subpoint sub-subpoint III. The third component of happiness is simply finding pleasure in the subpoint everyday things you do. sub-subpoint sub-subpoint Even slightly altering what you want to say about a topic changes the specifi c purpose and thesis. In turn, the main points must also change to clearly refl ect transition to third diff erent focus. For example: main point Topic: Th e Myths of Happiness General purpose: To inform third main point Specifi c purpose: To make my audience aware of myths about happiness. subpoint Th esis: Scientists have dispelled three common myths about sub-subpoint sub-subpoint happiness: Money makes you happy, intelligence subpoint sub-subpoint makes you happy, and being young makes you happy. sub-subpoint Main points: I. “Wealth makes you happy” is one myth scientists have proven false. II. “Greater intelligence makes you happier” is a second myth scientists have proven false. III. “Youth as the key to happiness” is a third myth scientists have dispelled. These examples of two approaches to the same topic, happiness, demonstrate the importance of the early steps you take in topic development: clearly refining your topic, phrasing your specific purpose, and writing your thesis statement (Chapter 4). Relevance Th e main points of your speech must pertain directly to your topic. As you research your topic, you’ll gather more information than you’ll use in your speech. Continually review your specifi c purpose and thesis, and identify the points that are truly relevant to your specifi c purpose. You’ll always know more about your topic than what you include in your speech—you’re the expert—but avoid including information that would detract from your goal. Main points must be relevant to one another as well as to the topic. Consider the main points for this informative speech about U.S. science fi ction writer Octavia E. Butler: Topic: Th e Achievements of Octavia E. Butler General purpose: To inform 147 Chapter 8 Organizing and Outlining Your Speech Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Ch008.indd 147 07/10/10 6:54 PM Specifi c purpose: To increase my audience’s awareness of some of Octavia E. Butler’s important achievements. Th esis: Octavia E. Butler’s many achievements include winning two Hugo and two Nebula awards, a MacArthur genius grant, and a lifetime achievement award from the PEN American Center.